Language table

"hello" - Main language

"hello" - Secondary language

'hello' - thought

"hello" - yelling in main language

"hello" - yelling in secondary language

'hello' - yelling in a thought

Curious Indeed

The kunoichi blinked and said a hesitant hello in English, one of the many languages she had mastered for her training as a spymaster.

The old man stared at her for a moment, and then brought her inside. "Curious…" he muttered under his breath while leading her down a long hallway to a stone gargoyle. "Bertie Bots" he said.

Kaida blinked again, she had assumed she had the right language when he let her in. Then her heart skipped a beat, the gargoyle swung aside revealing a spiral staircase.

She hid her astonishment and followed the old man up the stairs. They led to an office of sorts filled with swirling and twirling objects of power. Most interesting to Kaida was a bright blood red bird, which she recognized from tales as a phoenix. He gestured to a chair and she sat cautiously guarding her thoughts.

"A drink? Some tea perhaps?" the man asked, getting out some cups, saucers and a teapot.

"Yes, thank you Mister…?"

"Dumbledore, I am Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of this academy." He said testing her knowledge of her surroundings. He hated to use truth serum on youth, but he could never be too careful these days, with Death Eaters on the rise and the Dark Lord himself back.

"What academy is this, sir?"

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And you are Miss?"

"Kaida, Masako Kaida." She said, feeling she could trust him at least with her true name. She was a little unclear on what the school was for, but let it slide as a mistranslation on her part.

"And what are you doing here Miss Kaida? How did you get her?" Dumbledore asked, peering at her intently.

"I don't… remember… all I remember is my name and a flash of light." Kaida smiled to herself, this story had been used many times and had not failed yet. It helped avoid complications and unwanted questions. All she had to do was be believed now and she would have the perfect excuse. He looked nice enough, but she had learned never to trust too far if she could help it.

Dumbledore calmed himself. He could not read this girl at all. It was as if her mind was completely closed off to him. To him! He was one of the greatest wizards in world, Order of Merlin 1st class, and he couldn't read one little girl? He must be getting old. She was a curiosity though. She had lost her memory but ended up in one of the most secure places in the wizarding community. She did not have the look of a witch, more of a writer or dreamer. She did not appear to have a wand, but she saw the castle, so what could she be but a witch?

He sighed to himself. He had too many headaches already, and amnesia was the last thing he needed to add to that list. There was only one thing he could do for her here, with her memory as it is. He had to make her stay here as a student until she remembered where she had come from, or someone to call. What was one more student anyway?

The silence was worrying Kaida. He should have said something by now, he had to have believed her, hadn't he? She had rehearsed and rehearsed until she was confident of her acting abilities in any situation. If he believed her, why was he taking so long to answer? If he hadn't, why was she still alive? Spies are disposed of, and suspicious characters dealt with. She had gone through this before on both sides.

Then the silence broke. A boy about her age burst into the office. He had unruly hair and round glasses framing his face. What caught Kaida's eye was his scar. It was the shape of a lightning bolt on his forehead, and looked like a battle scar to her. What Dumbledore noticed was his expression of outrage.

"DUMBLEDORE! HOW COULD YOU HIRE THAT---"He shouted, breaking off when he saw Kaida. His face flushed in embarrassment and finished lamely with "um… witch…"

"Hello Harry. Ah! Yes! Harry, this is Masako Kaida. Kaida, this is Harry Potter." Dumbledore beamed as he introduced them, thinking he had a solution to two problems at least.

"Um… Hello Harry…" Kaida said a little wary of his previous outburst.

"Err… Hullo, Kaida?" Harry stammered unsure of what he had heard and still flushed at being overheard by a stranger.

"Kaida is starting today as a… How old are you dear?"

"15"

"5th year student, just like you are. She has amnesia, but I am sure she can handle it. Now, Harry, I am sure she will do fine, but could you watch out for her the next couple of days? And show her to the great hall to be sorted? I'll be headed there shortly myself."

Both teenagers started to protest, Kaida at not needing any guidance, and Harry at being ignored, but took another look at each other and laughed at their identical faces.

"Thank you… professor." Kaida said reviewing English honorifics in her head.

"Err… right… It's this way Kaida." Now Harry's face was flushed for a different reason.

"Good luck!" Dumbledore called after them, his eyes twinkling.

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